"Rudy Abru, Hanna Anderson, Jason Bach, Lexy Baker, Corinne Conners, Mandy Hudson, Bill Salida. Congratulations - you've made it into the top seven!"

Lexy let her breath out in a big whoosh and clapped with the rest of the bakers. She made it!

She joined the other six bakers on the right. Amidst high fives and hugs, they watched the remaining bakers file out.

"If you are all set, we can go into the other area now. The camera crews are ready to start taping. Congratulations to all of you - you did a fine job." Tim made the rounds, shaking hands with each of them, then they followed him out into the other room where the camera crews and spectators were waiting.

Lexy took her place in line with the other bakers facing the judges. She could feel her pulse beating in her neck: her throat dried up and her hands got clammy. Could this really be the final judging for Bakery Battles? It seemed surreal to think that in a few minutes one of them would have an extra $100,000 and a magazine opportunity.

Tim walked to the podium. The cameras started to roll. Lexy listened while he announced that the final judging was taking place and then said a little bit about each judge and how the entries were judged on taste and appearance with the scores from all the challenges being tallied up to produce the grand-prize winner.

"I'd like to add, that Bakery Battles has been proud to host the finest bakers in America." He waved his card at the group of bakers. Lexy smiled and nodded with the rest of them. "I'd like to give all of them the grand prize, but of course, only one can win."

"First, I'd like to announce the four runners-up. Each will receive $250 worth of equipment for their kitchens from our sponsor, the Bakery Connection. They are...Rudy Abru, Hanna Anderson, Jason Bach, and Mandy Hudson!"

Lexy felt relief and excitement. She was in the top three!

The clapping died down and Tim continued on. "For the third-place prize, including a check for $2,000, please congratulate...Bill Salida!"

Lexy's heart hammered in her chest; her knees felt weak. That left only her and Corinne-one of them was the grand-prize winner and the other the second-prize winner.

"Lexy...Corinne...You've both been great competitors. Your scores were pretty close, but one of you will be the grand-prize winner of $100,000 and a spread in American Baker Magazine. The other will get a nice prize too - a check for $20,000."

The spectators clapped enthusiastically. Lexy forced herself to breathe - either way she was going home with a big, fat check.

"And the grand-prize winner is..."

Tim paused. Lexy held her breath, feeling dizzy with anticipation. She figured if she was watching this on television, she'd be subjected to a series of commercials before she could find out who the winner was. She was grateful she didn't have to wait 5 minutes in real life.

"Corinne Conners!"

Lexy let out her breath in a whoosh of air. She turned to see Corinne jumping up and down. Confetti rained down from the ceiling as she embraced her friend.

"Congratulations! The prize couldn't go to a more deserving baker." Lexy meant every word of it. She released Corinne and watched her walk up to the podium to pose for the cameras with an oversized version of the $100,000 check.

Lexy smiled as she turned away scanning the crowd for Nans and Cassie. She spotted them in the corner, waved, and headed over to them.

"Congratulations!" Nans said. "I think you should have won first prize, but you still did pretty good."

Lexy nodded.

"Nice work!" Cassie said.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Lexy smiled at her friend.

"There's one thing I just can't figure out." Cassie narrowed her eyes at Lexy.

"What's that?"

"Why didn't you want to put the sugar sculptures on the cupcakes? I think we would have won first prize with those extra points."

Lexy shrugged, glancing over at Corinne with a smile.

"Hey, wait a minute." Cassie's eyes got bigger. "Lexy...you did it on purpose, didn't you?"

Lexy blushed, looking away. It was true, they might have won the contest, but Lexy was happy with the $20,000 and even happier knowing the big prize would go to a family who really needed the money to start over.

She hooked her arms through Cassie's and Nans'. "Sometimes winning isn't about getting the biggest prize. Now, let's go pack up the kitchen, collect our check, and go home."

Epilogue.

Lexy looked down her straw at the red liquid swirling between ice cubes in the gigantic skull-shaped glass mug sitting on the table in front of her. She took a long sip.

Leaning back in her chair, she looked around the crowded outdoor bar at the Treasure Island hotel. With regret, she realized this was the first time she'd had a chance to actually enjoy her trip to Vegas. Too bad it would be short-lived. She was only killing time in the bar before their limo arrived to take them to the airport.

She breathed in the dry twilight desert air. Across the table, Detective Nik Stone raised her delicate martini glass.

"A toast to my favorite amateur sleuths." She tipped her glass toward Nans and then Lexy.

Lexy, Cassie, Nans, and Jake brought up their glasses to clink with Nik's.

"I still can't believe you guys used me to do the dirty work." Lexy glared at Jake.

"Well, not all the work. But we did find you useful," he said.

"Come on, admit it, you wouldn't have stopped looking no matter what. We just made good use of your efforts. And kept an eye on you so you didn't get into trouble," Nik said. "Speaking of which, you really shouldn't make a habit of getting involved in these investigations, Lexy - it can be very dangerous."

Lexy rolled her eyes. Nik was starting to sound like Jack - did all detectives talk like that? She couldn't help but smile, thinking she'd be home with Jack-and Sprinkles soon.

"You know," said Cassie, "there's still a couple of strange things about the case that I don't get. Like what really happened to Aurea Pearce?"

"And what was the paper I heard Corinne talking about?" Nans added.

"We got word Aurea took off in a hurry. She owed a lot of money to a lot of different people. People you don't want to owe money to. When she had a big win at the poker tables, she fled. We think she might have left the country...either that or the people she owed money to caught up with her." Nik shrugged, then turned to Nans. "The paper you overheard Corinne talking about was actually just a paper from her bank offering an agreement to avoid the foreclosure. Of course, now she won't have to worry about that."

Nans laughed. "Oh, it sounded so sinister on the phone in light of everything that was going on."

"By the way, I'm curious to know more about your surveillance skills and how you and the Ladies Detective Club investigate things. Can I call you when you get back to Brooke Ridge Falls and pick your brain about a few things?" Nik asked.

Lexy saw a flush creep into Nans' cheeks; her green eyes sparkled. "Well, of course, dear. We're glad to be of help at any time." Nans pulled a business card out of her pocket and handed it to Nik.

"You have business cards?" Lexy's eyes narrowed as she craned to see the card.

"We just had them made," Nans said. She reached back into her pocket to show one to Lexy.

Lexy read it out loud. "Brooke Ridge Falls Ladies Detective Club - We Always Get Our Man." Everyone chuckled and the blush on Nans' cheeks deepened.

"Well, it's been quite a trip," Cassie said.

"Yes, it has. The contest was fun, but I'll be glad to get back home and back to our regular routine," Lexy said.

"Do be sure to say hello to Jack for me," Nik said over the rim of her martini glass.

Lexy nodded, thinking she just might conveniently forget about that.

Cassie checked her watch. "We only have about 40 more minutes before the limo comes to get us...drink up!"

Everyone raised their glasses to their lips, the sound of ice cubes clinking against each other as they drained their drinks was interrupted by a cacophony of bells coming from Nan's gigantic purse.

"What's that?" Nik asked.

"Oh, it's my iPad. One of the girls must be FaceTtiming me." Nans reached down into her purse and pulled out the large tablet. Setting it on the table, she moved the slider with her finger. Ida's face appeared on the screen.

"Hi," Ida said. "Oh, where are you. It looks like you're in a bar!"

"We're all checked out and waiting for our ride to the airport," Nans said.

"Oh, good. You'll be home tonight, then?"

"Yes, how are things there?" Nans asked.

"That's why I'm calling, Mona. Things aren't so good."

Lexy felt a stab of panic. She hoped the ladies were all okay.

"Is everyone all right?" Nans voiced her concern into the iPad.

"Oh, Ruth, Helen, and I are fine. It's not us. Bertram Glumm was found dead in his bed this morning."

Everyone at the table exchanged worried glances.

Nans' hands flew up to her face. "Oh, dear, Bertram seemed so young and spry."

"He was. That's why we need you to come back right away." Ida's face grew larger on the iPad screen, her voice lowered to a whisper. "They're saying it was natural causes, but I think we need to investigate. The girls and I...we have reason to believe he was murdered."

The End.

A Note From The Author.

Thanks so much for buying my book! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would love to hear your feedback and chat with you either through my website or Facebook fanpage. I'm going to be running some great contests and give-aways this year so please do check me out online and join in! Also, if you can find the time to leave a short review of the book on Amazon, it would be much appreciated!

You also might want to check out the other books in the series: Killer Cupcakes (Lexy Baker Bakery Series Book 1) - Things are going great for Lexy Baker. She's finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriend and settled into her grandmothers house with her perky dog Sprinkles at her side.

But her blissful life doesn't last long. When her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunky neighbor detective Jack Perillo.

With the help of a gang of iPad toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business.

As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it's a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.

Will Lexy get her man?.

Click Here to download a Sample or to order Killer Cupcakes from Amazon!.

(Dying For Danish (Lexy Baker Bakery Series Book 2) - When Lexy Baker lands a high paying catering job that allows her to buy some much needed kitchen equipment, she's excited that things are going so well ... until she stumbles over the body of the bride-to-be.

Suddenly Lexy finds herself in a race against time to find the killer. Aided by four iPad toting amateur detective grandma's, her best friend and her little dog Sprinkles, Lexy finds the suspect list growing at every turn.

To make matters worse, the investigation is headed up by her hunky neighbor Detective Jack Perillo who she had been hot and heavy with - until he mysteriously stopped calling her several weeks earlier.

Add a handsome, rich bachelor who is also a suspect and seems to have designs on Lexy to the mix, and Lexy soon finds that things are not what they seem.

Will Lexy be able to catch the killer in time, or will she end up Dying for Danish?

Click Here to download a Sample or to order Dying For Danish from Amazon!.

If you like romance, then check out my Short Story Anthology - 4 Stories in one book:.

Sweet Escapes - Buy it today for only $4.99 and save 35% over what you would spend if you bought all the stories individually. Plus you'll get stocked up on sweet escapes for the rest of the week!

Book Includes 4 Stories: Physical Attraction, Passionate Vengeance, Second Chance and Forbidden Desires.

Click Here to download a Sample or order Sweet Escapes from Amazon!.

I love to connect with my fans online. You can visit my website to find out about my latest releases here: http://www.leighanndobbs.com.

About Me:.

Leighann Dobbs lives in New Hampshire with her husband and her trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty. She likes to write romance and mystery short stories and novelettes perfect for the busy person on the go. These stories are great for someone who doesn't have a lot of time for reading a full novel. Why not pick one up and escape to another time and place the next time you are waiting for an appointment, enjoying a bath or waiting to pick up the kids at soccer?.